Devotional for July 8

Let All Creation Praise the Name of the Lord

7 Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons, and all deeps:
8 Fire, and hail; snow, and vapours; stormy wind fulfilling his word:
9 Mountains, and all hills; fruitful trees, and all cedars:
10 Beasts, and all cattle; creeping things, and flying fowl:
11 Kings of the earth, and all people; princes, and all judges of the earth:
12 Both young men, and maidens; old men, and children:
13 Let them praise the name of the Lord: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.
14 He also exalteth the horn of his people, the praise of all his saints; even of the children of Israel, a people near unto him. Praise ye the Lord. Psalm 148:7-14 (KJV)

The Morning Exhortation

The desire for air when you cannot breathe would be a perfect 10. While a “one” on the bottom of the scale would only be a wishful type of a desire too weak to cause any action towards its fulfillment. A wish may get your hand in the dish, but it takes a stronger desire to bring it up to the mouth. Hunger and thirst for righteousness as if your very life depended on it, because it actually does. The more devoted to Christ we become in this life, the larger the harvest of the fruits of the Spirit. Be on fire with your desire to be obedient to the will of God. When troubling thoughts come, be quick to let them go. No need to be troubled by a train of thought that pulls into the station heading somewhere other than your destination. Recognize them, let them go, and then board the train clearly marked “trust in the faithfulness of God Almighty.”

Question

Why seek to be a flame of fire?

Answer

Our God is a consuming fire (Hebrews 12:18-29; Zechariah 13:9). The bush that was on fire was not consumed because it, and the ground on which Moses stood, was holy (Exodus 3:1-5). Setting the affections on the things above means to have the desire for all we are to be sealed with holiness to the Lord (Exodus 28:36-38; Colossians 3:2-17). Nothing we can do by ourselves, from spark to flame it is all by the grace of God (Matthew 3:11; Acts 2:1-4; Philippians 2:13). Ask for it until it is given, seek until you find, knock until it is opened, and God will give the blessing when you refuse to be denied (Luke 11:5-13). Seek to be a flame of fire because it is God’s will for all His children (Psalm 104:1-4, 17:8; John 1:1-17; Revelation 2:18; Leviticus 19:2; Ephesians 3:14-21).

The Prayer Appointed for This Week from the Book of Common Prayer

O God, you have taught me to keep all your commandments by loving you and my neighbor: Grant me the grace of your Holy Spirit, that I may be devoted to you with my whole heart, and united to others with pure affection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.